Marketing strategies are evolving due to technological advancements and rapidly changing consumer behaviors. Mass-emailing and one-size-fits-all content no longer attract and engage audiences. As one of the key decision-makers, CMOs like you play an important role in shaping digital marketing strategies. You need to keep up with the times. You must leverage the emerging digital marketing trends and implement them at every possible touchpoint of the consumers’ buying journey.
1. Video Content Will Continue to Dominate
Written text is powerful, but well-created videos are hard to resist. Consumers love them in whatever form – explainers, behind-the-scenes, educational, name it – they’ll watch it. This is why platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels continue to thrive.
So to stay on top, you need to include video content in your strategies. Share your brand’s story. Create a video on how a particular process or product was made. Create video shorts about your latest product launch.
Humanize your brand by giving consumers a peek into corporate events, a-day-in-the-life of an employee, or behind-the-scenes moments in your company.
Make sure that each video you create aligns with your brand’s voice and resonates with your target audience’s persona. This will help build trust and reliability.
2. AI Tools Revolution
AI tools will positively impact your marketing strategies. You can use it to analyze customer data so you’ll learn more about their demographics, preferences, and behaviors. Knowing these data will help you create more precisely targeted campaigns, allowing you to maximize your marketing budgets.
You can also utilize AI tools for building chatbots that provide human-like responses, 24/7 support, and customized recommendations. These will give consumers satisfactory experiences that will keep them coming back for more.
3. Voice Search Optimization
Did you know that Voice search, which was only a Google experiment in 2011, is now being used by more than 40% of people? It’s fast and convenient – anyone can do a quick search, hands-free, anytime, anywhere.
As the CMO, you must ensure that your website is optimized for voice search. Backlinko recommends the following:
- Create Voice Search FAQ pages since Google usually pulls answers from helpful content with only 30-ish words.
- Earn a spot in Google’s Featured Snippet.
- Use natural language when writing content.
- Optimize your Google My Business
- Write clear and concise content
- Write long form content with an average word count of 2,300
4. Innovations in Social Media Marketing
2024 will witness some changes in social media platforms.
Let’s take LinkedIn as an example.
During and after the pandemic, LinkedIn became an avenue for personal anecdotes and selfies, which was totally divergent from what it was originally created for.
Recently, the platform made some changes in its algorithm that prioritize professionalism. It’s going back to its roots, so to speak.
Because LinkedIn users value content from experts they know, it’ll be ideal to put a face to your brand. Your CEO, for example. Work hard to establish him or her as an industry expert, and at the same time, build his or her personal network and followers.
And LinkedIn is just one of the social media platforms. As the CMO, you’ll need to find out emerging innovations in the platforms your target audiences are engaging in.
5. Data Privacy and Trust
As technology advances, consumers are becoming more concerned about data privacy. You, the CMO, will play a pivotal role in safeguarding data privacy and building trust.
Provide consumers with a sense of assurance by being transparent about your company’s data practices, security measures,and adherence to regulations. Monitor your website and social media platforms regularly, use data ethically, and always comply with existing regulations.
6. Social Messaging Apps
Messenger, WhatsApp and similar platforms are being touted as new marketing channels. E-commerce store owners have been using them to nurture and do business with their customers.
You can use these apps for directly communicating with your audiences and providing them with seamless customer services. You can also create and send audiences with customized messages, interactive content, exclusive offers and promos, and if you have an e-commerce store, integrate it, so they can purchase your goods or services inside the app.
7. Augmented and Virtual Reality in Marketing
No, AR and VR are not only for gaming anymore. They are becoming integral to marketing strategies. CMOs can leverage them to provide immersive experiences, allowing consumers to interact with products virtually.
How would your audience react to test driving a Volvo? Or taking a virtual tour of The Patron Hacienda through the eyes of a bee?
Immersive technologies like these are more engaging because they leverage sensory stimulation, interactivity, emotional connection, novelty, learning enhancement, and social interaction to create captivating and memorable experiences for users.
8. Interactive Content Strategies
No matter how great your blog posts are, audiences are getting tired of written content. They want something that will tickle their imagination and allow them to actively participate.
Encourage consumers to create User-Generated content, then share it across your social media platforms. Create quizzes. Netflix encouraged users to take a quiz to find out which “Stranger Things” character they resemble most.
9. Ephemeral Content’s FOMO
Ephemeral content, like Facebook Stories that disappear after 24 hours, give audiences a sense of missing out on something very important. CMOs need to capitalize on the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) phenomenon by creating content that sparks urgency and exclusivity.
Use ephemeral content for driving immediate actions, like in limited-time discounts, flash sales, or exclusive product launches.
10. Sustainability
A joint study by McKinsey and NielsenIQ found out that companies making multiple environmental, social, and governmental (ESG) claims are more likely to grow faster.
This is because consumers are becoming more mindful of issues happening around them, from deforestation to human rights abuse. So they are most likely to make business with brands that share their values.
You can leverage this by showcasing your company’s eco-friendly practices, community involvement, and support for worthwhile causes.
If you look closely at all the digital marketing trends outlined above, they all boil down to one thing – providing target audiences with the best customer experience possible. Provide them with valuable content to grab their attention; nurture them with content they can relate with; and safeguard their trust and data privacy.
11. Influencer Marketing
With 80% of marketers saying influencer marketing is effective, CMOS should include this strategy in your marketing efforts.
However, you have to be careful in choosing the influencer for your brand. Most famous influencers do not exactly translate to better sales. Nowadays, authentic connections are more important. Your chosen influencer must align with your brand’s values and resonate with your target audience.
FAQs
- Are these trends applicable to all industries?
- Yes, the outlined trends are relevant across various industries, but their impact may vary.
- How can a smaller business implement these strategies with limited resources?
- Smaller businesses can start by prioritizing trends aligned with their audience and gradually expanding their efforts.
- What tools are recommended for creating interactive content?
- Tools like Typeform, Poll Everywhere, and interactive video platforms can be used for creating engaging content.
- How can brands balance data personalization with privacy concerns?
- Brands can be transparent about data usage, offer opt-in choices, and prioritize data security to address privacy concerns.
- Are these trends expected to change rapidly in the coming years?
- The digital landscape is dynamic, and while these trends are relevant in 2024, continual adaptation is crucial as new innovations emerge.